Daemon's Word
by PallaPlease
Summary: [Season IV - post-'Cross Nodes.'  Written 10/21/02.]  AndrAIa reflects on someone she should not.  AndrAIa/Matrix.


Continuity: Season IV, immediately following 'Cross Nodes.'   
  
--  
  
-  
  
Daemon's Word  
  
--  
  
-  
  
I am haunted by a violet eye and a man who should mean nothing to me. Means nothing to me. All that matters is Daemon's word and spreading it according to her will. She is Queen, she is Goddess, she is Daemon.  
  
"AndrAIa…" A memory's voice, deep and rasping in uncharacteristic shyness.  
  
No. Nothing matters other than Daemon.  
  
Nothing.  
  
*  
  
"AndrAIa!" His cry turned into a primal roar and the User barely had time to register the new threat before he was destroyed by a swift shot through his head. A monotone female voice intoned the familiar *Game Over* words, the crackling electrical Game Cube pulled up in a buzzing show of dark purple. The ugly sneer on Matrix's face melted into a look of abnormal concern, and Gun was swiftly stashed back into its holster.  
  
AndrAIa hissed softly, under her breath, wrapping her arm tightly over the energy-leaking gash in her abdomen, shifting up into a sitting position. She smiled weakly at him, trying to present a brave outlook as he crossed the cement quickly, kneeling beside her and resting one large hand on her shoulder, brushing her with the thumb of his other hand. "Hey, lover," she leaned her forehead against his, sparkling pink lips pulled up in a tiny reassuring smile. "You were great." A pained shudder tore through her body and she bit her lip to keep from crying out, tightening her arm about her stomach.  
  
Medical binomes were beginning to swamp the sector in order to care for any binomes or sprites whom had been trapped in the Game. One, carrying a thick case of emergency energy, hurried past Matrix and AndrAIa, straightening his tie self-consciously. Snapping on thickly muscled green arm out, Matrix caught the binome in a deadly grip, literally lifting and turning the binome around so he was facing him. The binome swallowed convulsively, clutching the case to his chest as he stared straight into the calmest, most violent face he had ever seen.  
  
"Help her," Matrix ordered in a quiet, dangerous voice, the curved 'M' in his gold targeting eye glowing dimly scarlet for a moment. "Now," he added nastily and the binome, who needed no encouragement, quickly switched his attention to the orange Game Sprite cradled in the volatileman's free arm; it was obvious she had lost a great deal of energy and she was losing consciousness, flickering into thin transparency with growing rapidity.   
  
As the binome hastily threw open his case, hooking up the feeding tubes, Matrix gently pried AndrAIa's arm away from the deep wound, holding her hand in his. "If she deletes," he threatened coldly, violet eye and replacement one narrowed cruelly, "I will eliminate you very slowly."  
  
The medical binome moved even faster.  
  
A groan bubbled up from between her lips and AndrAIa rolled onto her back, shielding her eyes from the light above and stretching beneath the sheets. "Mmm," she blinked several times, disoriented. "Where am I?"  
  
" 'Evening, Andi," a soft kiss was dropped on her cheek and she turned her head to see Matrix smiling lopsidedly at her, offering a ceramic bowl filled with some sort of steaming soup. "Be careful," he chided in a rare gentle voice, the one reserved for her and Frisket alone. "You had a transfusion a couple of seconds ago, so don't move too fast." She nodded and pushed herself up, realizing just in time exactly what condition she was in under the sheets.  
  
She shot an accusing look at Matrix and he simply cupped her chin in one hand, kissing her quickly. Against her will, she giggled and drew knees up to her chest, taking care to hold the sheets up even with her shoulders. He dropped his chin to her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her and promptly nuzzling her neck. "Sparky," she laughed quietly, leaning against him.  
  
"I love you," Matrix said suddenly, without warning.  
  
AndrAIa whirled around, eyes startled, staring into his face. He had never said that to her before, even though she had known it, and his face hadn't been as open and vulnerable as it was now in hours. "Enzo?" she whispered, tilting her head to one side, shimmering blue hair falling freely over her shoulder. "Wh…" She stopped, not wanting to question this enigmatic burst of emotion.  
  
"I enver want to lose you," he continued, voice husky and soft.  
  
She smiled, grasping his hand with her smaller ones. "You never will," stated AndrAIa firmly, "because I love you, too." The next kiss was longer, sweeter, and she murmured, "Nothing means more to me than you."  
  
"AndrAIa…"  
  
*  
  
Images appear, coalescing in my mind, then disappear in flashes of brilliant lime green light sparkling behind my eyes.  
  
Daemon's word is all that matters to me; I knew nothing before my infection, before I was shown the word.  
  
And yet…  
  
--  
  
-  
  
Notes: Originally written October 21, 2001. Behold it in terror. I'm happy to report I can write far better than this currently, thank the Lord. Plot holes are proof of my idiocy.  
  
Feedback: Would like it on toast.  
  
Disclaimer: Like you'd probably expect, I don't own the characters. 


End file.
